1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general field of land vehicles, and more particularly to anti-sway devices for land vehicles.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As more cargo is transported via land vehicles, the dangers associated with truck traffic, both to the truckers themselves and to the vehicles that share the roads with these trucks, have increased. These dangers have been further exacerbated in recent times by the trend in the trucking industry to use larger rigs, including those with multiple trailers being towed by a single tractor.
Large rigs, especially rigs with multiple trailers, on tight schedules often are required to operate in areas congested with a great number of small vehicles. The rigs are not nearly as maneuverable as the small vehicles, yet are often required to maneuver in tight quarters almost as though the large rig were as maneuverable as small vehicles. This is a dangerous situation that is made even more dangerous as rigs increase in size.
Accordingly, there is a need for a tractor/trailer rig that is maneuverable. There is a further need for a multi-trailer tractor/trailer rig that is maneuverable.
Still further, large rigs are subject to swaying and fishtailing as a result of road forces and/or wind forces. The swaying can become unstable and dangerous if the rig driver is not extremely skilled and attentive. Again, like the above-discussed maneuverability-related problems, the dangers associated with swaying and/or fishtailing are magnified in multi-trailer rigs.
Still further, the well-known problem of jackknifing is also exacerbated in multi-trailer rigs.
Therefore, there is a need for a stabilizing system that reduces, if not totally eliminates, swaying in tractor/trailer rigs, especially multi-trailer rigs.
The land vehicle art contains disclosures of systems intended to reduce swaying between trailers and the vehicles towing those trailers. The known systems generally include some elements located between the trailers and the towing vehicle. However, most of these elements are complex, difficult and expensive to install. Often, a proper set up may require factory installation. While effective, this may be too expensive or onerous for many rig drivers and/or owners. This is especially true for an existing rig that is being adapted to tow a plurality of trailers.
Therefore, there is a need for a stabilizer system that can be easily, quickly and inexpensively retrofit onto an existing tractor/trailer rig.
Still further, many of the known stabilizer systems are complex enough to be difficult and expensive to maintain and/or service.
Therefore, there is a need for a stabilizer that can be used on a multi-trailer rig and which is easily and inexpensively maintained and serviced.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a stabilizer for a tractor/trailer rig that makes that rig maneuverable, especially if the rig includes a plurality of trailers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stabilizer for a tractor/trailer rig that reduces, if not completely eliminates, swaying between the towed trailers and the towing vehicle, or the trailers towing a particular vehicle in the situation of a multi-trailer rig.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stabilizer for a tractor/trailer rig that is easily, quickly and inexpensively retrofit onto an existing rig.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stabilizer for a multi-trailer tractor/trailer rig and which can be easily and inexpensively maintained and/or serviced.
These, and other, objects are achieved by a stabilizer for use in a tractor/trailer rig that is easily installed, even in a retrofit situation, yet is effective in reducing, if not totally eliminating, swaying, fishtailing, and jackknifing by flexibly, yet securely, connecting a towed vehicle trailer to a vehicle element towing that trailer.
The stabilizer establishes a force couple adjacent to a dolly which tends to dampen out the forces which create an unstable swaying or fishtailing situation. However, the stabilizer is still simple and easy to install, service and modify.